Active SwRI Consortia

Automotive

Heavy-Duty Engine Emission Measurement Improvement Program

Summary - This program aims to better understand factors that can impact heavy-duty diesel emission measurement variability, then develop techniques to improve the accuracy and precision of those measurements in response to lower emission standards.
Participation - $60,000 per year
Years anticipated - Two
Contact - Jeff White, (210) 522-2649 or jwhite@swri.org

Investigating Measurement Precision and Repeatability of Vehicle Emissions

Summary - This project will help manufacturers better understand the factors that impact light-duty vehicle emission measurement variability, then will develop techniques to improve their precision and repeatability.
Participation - Tentatively $45,000 per year
Years anticipated - Minimum of one year, with option for a second
Contact - Kevin Whitney, (210) 522-5869 or kwhitney@swri.org

Exhaust Particulate Initiative: Physical and Chemical Characterization of Fine, Ultrafine, and Nanoparticle Emissions from Diesel- and Spark-Ignition Engines

Summary - This initiative will seek guidance from stakeholders concerning the future direction of SwRI's particulate research efforts. SwRI may consider single or multiclient research projects to meet respondents' needs.
Participation - Based on number of participants
Years anticipated - Minimum of two years
Contact - Kevin Whitney, (210) 522-5869 or kwhitney@swri.org; or Dr. Imad Khalek, (210) 522-2536 or ikhalek@swri.org

Protection of Aftertreatment Systems from Sulfur

Summary - The consortium will develop a sulfur trap system that protects sulfur-sensitive emissions reduction devices from the adverse effects of fuel sulfur.
Participation - Based on number of participants
Years anticipated - Two
Contact - Dr. Gordon Bartley, (210) 522-5871 or gbartley@swri.org

Advanced Reciprocating Engine Systems

Summary - Funds will develop technologies for a stationary natural gas engine with 50 percent efficiency and oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) emissions of 0.05 g/hp-hr.
Participation - $100,000 per year
Years anticipated - Two years
Contact - Timothy J. Callahan, (210) 522-6890 or tcallahan@swri.org

Clean Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine, Phase III

Summary - This program for the diesel engine industry will develop technologies to help meet the stringent emission standards of the early 2000s.
Participation - $95,000 per year ($55,000 for suppliers and manufacturers)
Years anticipated - Four years
Contact - Daniel W. Stewart, (210) 522-3657 or dstewart@swri.org

Engine Consulting Support Services

Summary - Members will gain the information and analysis required for engine design, development, and product planning.
Participation - $20-30,000 per year
Years anticipated - Ongoing, yearly renewal
Contact - Dr. Tom Ryan, (210) 522-3192 or tryan@swri.org

Industry Cooperative Program - Fuels and Lubricants

Summary - This program will help governmental and industrial clients meet increasingly stringent vehicle emissions regulations through a better understanding of diesel fuel and lubricant properties and compositions.
Participation - $75,000 per year
Years anticipated - Ongoing, yearly renewals
Contact - Dr. Tom Ryan, (210) 522-3192 or tryan@swri.org

Fuel Filtration Cooperative R&D Program, Phase III

Summary - The program will verify that wear index test ratings and actual engine wear rates correlate, will improve the current test method to incorporate additional vibration, and will measure and document filter head accelerations.
Participation - $25,000 per year
Years anticipated - One year
Contact - Gary B. Bessee, (210) 522-6941 or gbessee@swri.org

Aviation

Turbine Rotor Material Design

Summary - A probabilistic, damage tolerance design code will predict the reliability of aircraft gas turbine disks and rotors in the presence of undetected material anomalies. The code is considered an acceptable means for complying with Federal Aviation Administration regulations to meet the "design target reliability."
Participation - Limited to aircraft gas turbine manufacturers whose products are used in the United States
Years remaining - Five
Contact - Dr. Gerald R. Leverant, (210) 522-2041 or gleverant@swri.org

Power

Durability and Life Assessment of GTD-111 Buckets

Summary - This program will develop life prediction methodologies for the coating and substrate of GTD-111 buckets in General Electric Frame 5 and Frame 6 combustion turbines.
Participation - $105,000 per year
Years remaining - One
Contact - Dr. Sastry Cheruvu, (210) 522-2492 or scheruvu@swri.org

Oil and Gas

Advanced Casing Lateral Juncture Technologies for Multi-Lateral Wells, Phase II: Screening Level Studies

Summary - This program will evaluate key enabling technologies necessary to develop several novel multi-lateral well juncture concepts.
Participation - Based on number of participants (through the Global Petroleum Research Institute, Texas A&M University)
Years anticipated - One and one-half
Contact - J. Christopher Buckingham, (210) 522-3307 or cbuckingham@swri.org

Novel Diversion Technologies for Deviated/Horizontal Wells with Sand Control

Summary - This program will investigate and develop novel diversion technology concepts for horizontal or deviated wells with sand control.
Participation - Based on number of participants (through the Global Petroleum Research Institute, Texas A&M University)
Years anticipated - One-third (four months)
Contact - David B. Walter, (210) 522-6046 or dwalter@swri.org

Open-Hole Gravel-Packing Joint Industry Program

Summary - This program will identify fluids and techniques that are best suited to completing gravel packing of oil and gas wells.
Participation - Based on number of participants
Years anticipated - One and one-half
Contact - Steven J. Svedeman, (210) 522-3002 or ssvedeman@swri.org

Development of an Instrument for Corrosion Detection in Insulated Pipes

Summary - This consortium will develop magnetostrictive sensor equipment for the inspection of pipe systems in the oil, gas, chemical, petrochemical, and refinery industries.
Participation - $135,000 per year
Years remaining - One
Contact - Dr. Glenn M. Light, (210) 522-2218 or glight@swri.org

Published in the Summer 1999 issue of Technology Today®, published by Southwest Research Institute. For more information, contact Maria Martinez.

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